Los Angeles - A specially trained dog saved his owner's life by dialing the emergency number 911 after the owner suffered a seizure, according to Phoenix TV station KPHO.

Buddy, an 18-month-old German shepherd, was trained to recognize the signs of a seizure and use a special phone which is wired to call 911 whenever any button is pressed for more than three seconds.

That's what he did when his owner, Joe Stalnaker, suffered a severe seizure last Wednesday, responding with a series of barks and whimpers when he heard the operator answer.

Stalnaker suffered severe head injuries in a military accident ten years ago and his address is flagged in the police computer system with a notification that a trained dog might call 911 when the owner was incapacitated.

Chris Trott, a veteran police operator, said she dispatched a team when she heard Buddy's cries and stayed on the phone with Buddy until she heard paramedics arrive, less than three minutes after the dog had placed the call.

Buddy rode in the ambulance with Stalnaker to the hospital, and both man and dog were back home two days later, feeling much better.